Stock-car



B. 0. HICKS.

(No Model.)

lSTOCK GAR.

Patented June 22, 1886.

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'NITE STATES BOHN C. HICKS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

STOCKWCAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 344,044, dated June 22I1886.

Application filed February Q6, 1886. Serial No. 193,375. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, BOHN CHAPIN HIcKs, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStock-Oars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of stockcars formed with anauxiliary deck or floor, whereby sheep, hogs, and other small animalsmay be Vtransported upon each door or deck; and it consists in theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinaftershown and described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a cross-sec tional elevation of astock-car, showing my improved double deck arrangedtherein. Fig. 2 is asectional side elevation with one of the deck-sections folded up andwith one turned down. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation showing oneof the deck-sections folded up and one partially folded up. Figs. 4 and5 are enlarged sectional details of the means for supporting the outeredges of the deck-sections. Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged details of thedeck section supportingplate which is attached to the car. Figs. 8 and 9are enlarged perspective views of one of the supporting-plates which isattached to the decksections, Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 being on thesame scale. of portions of the adjacent ends of a pair of thedeck-sections and one of the supportinglegs,illustrating a modificationin the manner of constructing the leg. Fig. ll is a bottom plan view ofportions of four of the adjacent deck-sections,illustrating the mannerin which one leg may be made tol support four sections.

A' represents the door, A2, theside frames or stanchions, and A3 theroof, all constructed in the ordinary manner. The auxiliary or doubledeck is formed in sections B', as shown. Generally five pairs of thesesections B' will be arranged -in each car, four pairs between each endand the doorway-openings; but a greater or lesser number may be used, asrequired.

The sections B' will be formed of wooden frames, covered with planking,of any suitable Fig. l0 is a detached side view.

construction, to secure the requisite strength and lightness.

Along the sides of the car, atY the requisite height at which thesections B are to be set, the stanchions A2 will be connected byhorizontal stringpieces C; or these pieces C may be formed in one piecesecured across the stanchions. Upon these string-pieces G, opposite eachend of each section B',metalplates D' will be secured. These plates areformed, as more clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7, with an inclined uppersurface, a', surrounded by a rib, a2, on three sides, and with a cavityor slot, a3, in the lower edge of the inclined upper surfaced', asshown, the surface a' of each plate D' inclining inward and downward, asshown. Secured upon the lower side-s of the sections B', opposite theseplates D', are other plates, D2, each with` an inclined lowersurface,b', corresponding to the surface a' of the plate D', and eachprovided with a rib, b2. By this arrangement,when the sections B'are setin place inthe car, the surface b' and rib b2 of each plate D2 will restupon the surface c and into the slot or cavity a3 of itsrespective plateD', and the outer edges of the sections will be thus supported, ashereinafter more fully explained.

The inner edges of each section B' are shown in Figs. l and 8 rabbetedin opposite relations at d, so that the inner edge of one section issupported by the rabbet of the other section,thus requiring centralsupporti 11g-legs, E,only beneath one section of each pair of secl tionsB.

In Figs. l0 and 11 I have shown another method of supporting the inneredges of the sections B', consisting in hinging the legs E to onesection, B', and forming each leg with its upper end, g, extended so asto project beneath the adjacent section and support it, so that one leg,E, does duty for two sections, B'. If preferred, the projecting ends yof the leg E may be hinged to one of the sections near one corner, sothat its extended end gwill` project beneath the corners of the foursections where the ends of two pairs of sections come together, as inFig. 1l. Thus one leg, E, can be made to support four sections. The

ends of the sections next the ends of the car will be supported by fixedstops h on the frame of the car; hence the legs E will be required onlybeneath the inner ends of the sections, and if ten sections are used ineach car, (which will be the usual number,) and if the extended endsgare arranged as in Fig. 11, then only four legs, E, will be required ineach car. The legs E will be arranged to be folded up against the lowersides of the sections B when not in use, as at d in Fig. 3.

H are iron rods, one pivoted by one end to each end of each section B ateach outer corner at z" and each rod pivoted by its other end at i2 tothe upper part of the nearest adjacent stanchion, A2, or to some othersuitable point near the roof A3. The upper end of the rods H are slottedat i?, so that they are free to play up or down.

Where the height of the car is sufficient to enable the sections to befolded up between the stringers C and the roof A3, the slots i3 in therod H will not be required to be as long as shown; but when, as isgenerally the case, the distancebetween the plates D and the roof A3 isnot sufficient to permit the sections to :be thus folded lupthe slots 3will be long enough to enable the outer edges of the sections Bto dropdownoff from the plate D when elevated, as shown at the left of Fig. 3,and thus leave room for the sections to be folded up beneath, the roofA, as shown at the right of Figs. 2 and 3, and Aheldthus suspended bythe hooks m.

By forming the surface of the plate D inclining inward and downward theelevation of the inner edges of the sections B will cause the yplatesD'2 to slip off from them, and the sections drop down as far as theslots i3 willl permit, thus avoiding the necessity for the operator tolift the sections bodily at any time. At no time is it necessary to liftmore than one-half the weight of one of the sections. By this simplyarrangement the sections Bl may all be folded up beneath the roof of thecar when not in use, as shown at theright of Figs. 2 and 3, or folded.down and supported by the plates D D2 and legs E to form an auxiliarydeck, as shown in Fig. 1 and on the left of Fig. 2, so that the car canbe used for cattle,

. horses, and other large animals, as an ordinary stock-car, or forfreight or goods of any kind as an ordinary freight-car, the sections B'when folded up leaving the interior of the car en tirely unobstructedand free to be used Iin the ordinary manner.

Another important advantage gained by folding the sections up next tothe roof A3 is that the sides of the car are left entirely free andunobstructed, so that when used for cattle,-horses, 85o., theventilation is not interfered with. If, however, it is found desirable,thesections can be folded up against the sides of the car and held inplace by hooks,instead of being folded up next to the roof, as in Figs.2 and 3.

The ribs b2 on the plate D'Z perform an important function, as theyserve to hold the sections B outward and prevent them from movinginward, while at the same time they are very easily released when theinner edges of the sections are elevated, as shown in Fig. 5, whichrepresents an enlarged detail with the section Belevated to release therib b3 .the plates D D2 and legs E.

In cases where the cars are less in height and greater in width thanordinary, requiring wider sections B, and consequently greater space toturn them in folding them up, I shall arrange the pivots fi,by which thelower ends of the rods H are secured to the sections B, to t intoslotted plates i* on the sections B, as shown in Figs. 3, 4i, and 5, soas to allow the sections to drop to a still lower point, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 3. By this arrangement I can turn the sections Bover and fold them up next to the roof, regardless of the height of thecar or the position of t the sections.

The sections B are shown in Fig. 3, inclin- `ing slightly from thecenter downward and outward, so as to cause liquid excrcment to flow offthrough the sides of the car.

Inclined boards n will be arranged to carry off any matter flowing offfrom the sections.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new isl. In adouble-deck stock-car, a series of sections, B, suspended in said car byrods H, and adapted to be folded up beneath the roof of said car whennot in use, substantially as set forth.

2. In a double-deck stock-car, a series of sections, B, suspended insaid car by rods H,

and supported by plates D D3 and legs E, so that no strains occur uponsaid rods when said sections are in place horizontally,substantially asset forth.

3. In a double-deck stock-car, a series of floor-sections, B, havingfolding legs E and plates D2, with ribs b2, a series of correspondingplates,'D, with cavities a3, and attached to the sides of said car, androds H, pivoted at i to said sections, and at i2, by slots i3, to saidcar, whereby said floor-sections may lbe set horizontally and supportedby said plates and legs when required for use, or folded up be- IOO IIO

neath the roof of the car when not in use, sub In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my stantially as set forth. hand in the presence oftwo subscribing Wit- 4. In a double-deck stock-car, a series of messes.

floor-sections, B', adapted to be supported 5 horizontally between thefloor and roof of BOHN O. HICKS.

said car, and provided with slotted plates i, rods H, each pivoted byone end in said slot- Witnesses: ted plates and by the other end totheframe C. N. WOODWARD, of said ear near the roof, substantially als setH. S. WEBSTER. Io forth.

